Blamed

Chapter 51

Crimson and I had been traveling on the path for at least thirty minutes and there was still no sight of anyone. It was quiet besides the occasional chirping of the birds and little critters in the woods...

... and Crimson's wheezing.

"Are you sure you're okay?" It felt like I had asked that same question for the millionth time, but I couldn't help it. She sounded terrible.

"I swear to God, Paxton. If you ask me that one more time..."

"You sound like a pig that is being killed. Over and over again." I said. She chuckled, but the sound came out as a wheeze.

"Don't make me laugh." She breathed out.

Silence wrapped around us and I glanced at her, noticing that she was looking down at her hands. I glanced at them and saw the veins were very visible. They almost looked like small snakes under the skin. Slight mumbling filled the air, but I couldn't make out the words. I looked at her face and noticed she was the one talking.

"Crimson," I called. Her lips stopped moving, but she didn't look up.

"How do you feel?" I asked. She gazed at me and swiftly stuck her hands in the front pockets of her pants.

"I'm okay. Slightly lightheaded. Just... thinking. A lot of thinking." She answered quickly.

"What are you thinking about?" I could hear her heartbeat pick up speed.

"Just... old friends. That's all. The good old friends." She mumbled. I nodded, deciding to leave it at that.

'Prospero...' Leo muttered. I hummed, nodding.

"Do you want to stop and rest?"

"No!" My eyebrows raised at her tone. She cleared her throat, diverting her eyes.

"I need to keep moving. We need to keep moving. Who knows what Harold is doing, you know? Can't risk it." She said. I nodded slowly.

"Yeah. You're right." I mumbled.

Death. Lots and lots of death.

Those six words were taunting me ever since she said them. I blew out a breath, running a hand down my face. Crimson's not stable, and she is far from it. She could kill everybody if she wanted to. No. When she needs to.

I doubt she would choose death over simply killing someone else. Then what? She's back to normal? Everything is okay in her mind? What happens when she begins to get low again? What am I suppose to do? Let her kill whoever she wants? What—

My thoughts halted as I noticed Crimson was no longer beside me. I looked back and saw she was staring at the trees that branched out to more wood area.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just... I thought I heard something." She said. I walked back to where she was standing and glanced at the woods. My ears twitched, but I didn't hear anything unfamiliar.

"Animals," I mumbled. Her head shook.

"No. I-It... I don't k-know."

'Uh oh.' Leo whispered.

"You're starting to stutter again." I pointed out, the level of my worry going higher. She glanced at me for a split second before dropping her head to look at the ground.

"I'm f-fine. You're right. Just a-animals." She moved past me and continued on the path. I eyed the tree line, but everything seemed normal.

'I don't hear or see anything different, Paxton.'